Saudi families gather for Shabana to mark the start of Ramadan

Saudi Arabian families traditionally get together before Ramadan to celebrate the end of the month of Shaban before they start a month of fasting and praying.

Shabana, the name of the celebration, has for decades been a popular tradition, especially for women and children.

Shabana comes from Shaban – the name of the Islamic month in which it is celebrated. Shaban, meaning separation, is the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

"We have a party during the end of the month, close to Ramadan, which is this week, where we dress up and enjoy our time with family before everyone starts fasting," says Maha, a Saudi saleswoman in Jeddah.

"It is usually a fun night, where we cook Saudi food – usually my grandmother and mother prepare a feast and we invite our cousins and neighbours. It is a festive atmosphere with music conducive to the theme of Ramadan, nothing vulgar or immodest," said Razan Ahmad, a student in Jeddah.

Shaban is the last lunar month before Ramadan. Muslims usually fast during the month of Shaban to get used to the habit of fasting before the 30 days of Ramadan.

The month is significant in Islam as it was in the middle of the month of Shaban when God was believed to have ordered the change of qibla, the direction towards which Muslims face when they pray, answering prayers of the Prophet Mohammed, from Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Makkah.

However, the tradition was more popular with older generations.

"It depends on the region you live in. So, in cosmopolitan cities where almost every family member is working, there is less focus on the small traditions but we still follow them in our own way," says Nada Saleh, a Saudi teacher in Riyadh.

"I usually get together with my friends a few nights before Ramadan where we discuss our plans over great food and exchange Ramadan gifts as well. I make Ramadan baskets for each of my friend's homes, I include dates, perfume, tasbih, prayer mats and Islamic books for children too, along with desserts."

Fasting before Ramadan

Before Shabana, some people start fasting sporadically to get into the spirit of the holy month and prepare for long hours without food and drink.

"I think it's such a great idea to get us into the habit of fasting ... it's not easy and this is why I love Shaban, it really prepares you," says Sana Shaikh, a Pakistani resident in Dammam.

"You don't just run a marathon – you practise and work towards it. Similarly, the month of Shaban helps you get in the mindset of Ramadan, physically, spiritually and mentally."

Fasting in Shaban is not mandatory like it is in Ramadan. But many Muslims tend to fast during Shaban to get ready for Ramadan and include practices such as reciting the Holy Quran while fasting, and engaging in increased acts of charity.

It was also during the middle of Shaban that verses from the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammed calling all Muslims to face the Kaaba in Makkah whenever they pray.

"Shaban is a very important month for Muslims because it is where they face while praying. Even though Al-Aqsa Mosque had been the Qiblah for Muslims, it was changed after Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah. It is important to teach our kids the history and significance of this month," says Hera Arshad, a British citizen living in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health recently announced that all measures imposed after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic were being lifted.

People can now pray in mosques without social distancing measures. Pilgrims can enter the two grand mosques without a prayer permit and break their fast inside the mosques unlike last Ramadan.